Route: Snowdon Section - Alternative Route

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For attempts to break the record the challenge must begin on Snowdon and finish on Foel-fras. However, there is a popular alternative route in which Crib Goch is the first peak to be completed. This is the fastest and probably easiest route for those not camping on Snowdon's summit the previous night. However, if you wish to ascend the first peak in the dark, the traditional route is much safer.

Crib Goch

Crib Goch from the Pyg Track photo from www.walkingbritain.co.uk
  • Start at the Pen y Pass car park at SH 647 556. If you can’t park here you will have to exit the car park, turn right and park at the bottom of the hill on the side of the A498.
  • Follow the Pyg Track (not the Miners Track). The path you need to take is at the far right of the car park.
Crib Goch from Bwlch y Moch photo from www.walkingbritain.co.uk
  • At Bwlch y Moch leave the Pyg Track, taking the path on your right leading to the steep, rocky scramble up Crib Goch. This ascent can be dangerous, especially if you stray too far left once the steep section has been reached.
Crib Goch www.walkingbritain.co.uk (Tom Hooks)
  • Take great care once you reach the ridge. There are steep drops on either side.
  • The point at which you initially meet the ridge is not the summit. There is a higher point a little further along the ridge.
  • After the summit has been reached you must tackle two rocky pinnacles. I find the best way is to traverse around the left of the first, then climb to the top of the second from its right hand side. A short descent follows.

Garnedd Ugain and Snowdon

first three peaks photo from www.walkingbritain.co.uk
  • Continue along the ridge to Garnedd Ugain. There is one brief section of steep scrambling on this ascent. The summit is marked by a trig point.
  • After a short descent from Garnedd Ugain the path joins the main route up Snowdon from Llanberis. Follow this good track to the top of Snowdon.

Snowdon descent

From the summit of Snowdon head down the Llanberis Path to the Clogwyn train station. From here it is possible to descend to the A4086 road and Nant Peris. Paths are often indistinct. Two options are available:

descent from Snowdon
  1. Descend into Cwm Glas Bach ie. directly towards the road. However, this route is extremely steep, and I do not advise using it.
  2. Leave the main path before the bridge to follow the ridge over Llechog to a place where 610 is written on the OL17 map (SH 601 574). Cross a small stile over the fence and break down and back right here. Follow this ridge down a fair way until a wall is reached at SH 608 576.
    Now turn left, heading towards the "Park and Ride" at Nant Peris. Initially, a steep but short drop by the wall must be negotiated*. A little further on you will come to a stile, from where you can follow a path past the Park and Ride to a bridge which crosses the river at SH 604 583. The subsequent path meets the road just to the left of the Vaynol Arms. (An alternative is to cross the river directly to the Park and Ride if the water level is not too high.)
    This descent is much easier on the joints than the previous option and is my preferred choice.

    * This drop by the wall can be rather hazardous. An alternative is to crawl through a sheep hole a little further to the right in the wall. Then continue on in the same direction, until it becomes obviously easier to turn left towards the Park and Ride.